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President's Executive Order supports bedside access to legally designated health care agent

Aging with Dignity President Paul Malley praised President Barack Obama's Executive Order dated April 15, 2010 in which he instructs hospitals participating in Medicare/Medicaid to allow bedside access to the patient's legally designated health care agent.

17 Apr 2010

Obama extends hospital visitation rights, medical decisions, to gays and other non-family members

The Washington Post: "President Obama mandated Thursday that nearly all hospitals extend visitation rights to the partners of gay men and lesbians and respect patients' choices about who may make critical health-care decisions for them. ... The president directed the Department of Health and Human Services to prohibit discrimination in hospital visitation in a memo that was e-mailed to reporters ... while he was at a fundraiser in Miami."

17 Apr 2010

COBRA subsidies continued, Medicare cuts delayed

President Barack Obama signed legislation Thursday night extending extra unemployment benefits through May, including subsidies to help the laid-off buy health insurance under so-called COBRA rules, The New York Times reports. "The measure, which would continue added unemployment benefits and other expired federal programs through May, will restore aid to thousands of Americans who had exhausted their benefits or whose eligibility was expiring. "

17 Apr 2010

Emdeon achieves compliance with CAQH CORE Phase II rules

Emdeon Inc., a leading provider of healthcare revenue and payment cycle management solutions, today announced it has achieved compliance with the CAQH® Committee on Operating Rules for Information Exchange (CORE) Phase II rules. CAQH, a nonprofit alliance of health plans and trade associations, is a catalyst for industry collaboration on initiatives that simplify healthcare administration for health plans and providers, resulting in a better care experience for patients and caregivers. Emdeon achieved CORE Phase I compliance in March 2007.

16 Apr 2010

First Edition: April 16, 2010

Today's headlines highlight the passage of a temporary extension of jobless benefits -- including a COBRA subsidy -- and a directive issued by President Obama to extend medical rights for same-sex partners.

16 Apr 2010

Laquinimod may have neuroprotective properties in addition to anti-inflammatory effects for RRMS

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Active Biotech today announced results from several studies demonstrating that laquinimod, a novel, investigational once-daily oral immunomodulator for relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) may have neuroprotective properties in addition to its anti-inflammatory effects.

16 Apr 2010

Impact of health care reform on federal employees to be discussed on AFGE radio show

The impact of health care reform on federal employees and their families will be discussed this week on the American Federation of Government Employees' "Inside Government" radio show.

16 Apr 2010

Seasonal flu tends to move in traveling waves: Researchers

An analysis of hospitalization records for adults age 65 and over found that seasonal flu tends to move in traveling waves, peaking earliest in western states such as Nevada, Utah, and California and working its way east. New England states such as Rhode Island, Maine, and New Hampshire tend to have the latest peak in seasonal flu, according to public health researchers at Tufts University in Boston.

16 Apr 2010

Senate Democrats move closer to passing bill that will delay Medicare pay cut slated for doctors

MedPage Today: Senate Democrats on Wednesday won a "key vote" toward delaying a 21 percent cut in physicians reimbursements from Medicare. Those cuts officially went into effect on April 1. On a 60-40 vote, the Senate agreed to exempt a provision to delay the cuts by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., "from a Senate rule that says all spending legislation must be paid for."

16 Apr 2010

FDA grants marketing clearance for Cambridge Heart's MTWA OEM module

Cambridge Heart, Inc., today announced that it has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin marketing its Microvolt T-Wave Alternans (MTWA) OEM module. The MTWA OEM module is designed to work with existing cardiac stress test platforms distributed by other manufacturers. This FDA 510(k) clearance allows Cambridge Heart to begin marketing the MTWA OEM module integrated with the Q-Stress line of stress systems manufactured by Cardiac Science Corporation, Inc..

16 Apr 2010

Watson Laboratories' ANDA for generic Toprol XL tablets receives FDA approval

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced that its subsidiary, Watson Laboratories, Inc. - Florida, has received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration on its Abbreviated New Drug Application for metoprolol succinate extended-release tablets USP in the 100 and 200 mg strengths, the generic equivalent to AstraZeneca's Toprol XL® tablets.

16 Apr 2010

Tougher times ahead for older Americans

It's popular to assume retiring baby boomers will benefit from Social Security and Medicare at the expense of younger generations, as analysts estimate that these government-run programs will pay out more than they collect in payroll taxes by 2017.

16 Apr 2010

Ongoing Medicare physician payment dilemma

"Because of Congress's inability to find answers to the ongoing Medicare physician payment dilemma, physicians across the country are unable to accept and treat new Medicare patients," Joseph W. Stubbs, MD, FACP, president of the American College of Physicians declared today as he considered the impending effects of the cut to the Sustainable Growth Rate.

16 Apr 2010

Lawmaker cancels hearing on big corporations' tax deductions related to health reform

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., canceled a hearing set for next week that would have probed recent announcements by large firms that they are taking millions of dollars in health law-related write-downs, Kaiser Health News reports.

16 Apr 2010

Health reform affects high-risk patients, abortion and doctor practices

NPR: "Recent fights between anti-abortion groups could leave people with the impression that the new health overhaul law expands women's access to abortion. But abortion-rights groups vehemently disagree."

16 Apr 2010

Obama enforces visitation rights of same sex partners

President Obama passed a memo on Thursday while at a fundraiser in Miami which prohibits hospitals from discriminating against gay and lesbian couples in extending visitation rights. The decision seems to be inspired by the publicity given to the Lisa Pond and Janice Langbehn case. The hospital refused to allow Lisa Pond the visitation of Janice Langbehn and their children at her death bed.

16 Apr 2010

Vote expected today on COBRA subsidy extension

Democrats' extension of jobless benefits - including provisions to extend a subsidy to help the newly laid-off afford health insurance - passed a key procedural test yesterday. A final Senate vote on the bill could come today.

16 Apr 2010

Senate gridlock hurts seniors' health: Medicare physician payment down to the wire

“Medicare physician payment comes down to the wire today as the Senate scrambles once again to delay the 21 percent Medicare cut before physicians feel the impact in their payments this week and a Medicare meltdown begins. Congress’ failure to stave off the Medicare physician payment cut leaves physicians in limbo and puts seniors’ access to care and choice of physician in serious jeopardy. This continued uncertainty coupled with the fact that Medicare payments, even without the 21 percent cut, have not kept up with the cost of providing care to seniors demonstrates the need for a permanent solution to this annual problem.

15 Apr 2010

Pennsylvania Medical Society comments on court ruling against state

The following is a statement from James A. Goodyear, MD, president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society, regarding a Commonwealth Court 4-1 ruling indicating the state should not have diverted money from the Mcare Fund and Health Care Provider Retention Account to help with state budget problems.

15 Apr 2010

First Edition: April 15, 2010

In today's headlines: The jobless benefits package, including a COBRA subsidy extension and Medicare-doctor pay fix, advances in the Senate. In the House, a committee chairman cancels a hearing on business health care complaints.

15 Apr 2010

Medicare News and Research

President's Executive Order supports bedside access to legally designated health care agent

Obama extends hospital visitation rights, medical decisions, to gays and other non-family members

COBRA subsidies continued, Medicare cuts delayed

Emdeon achieves compliance with CAQH CORE Phase II rules

First Edition: April 16, 2010

Laquinimod may have neuroprotective properties in addition to anti-inflammatory effects for RRMS

Impact of health care reform on federal employees to be discussed on AFGE radio show

Seasonal flu tends to move in traveling waves: Researchers

Senate Democrats move closer to passing bill that will delay Medicare pay cut slated for doctors

FDA grants marketing clearance for Cambridge Heart's MTWA OEM module

Watson Laboratories' ANDA for generic Toprol XL tablets receives FDA approval

Tougher times ahead for older Americans

Ongoing Medicare physician payment dilemma

Lawmaker cancels hearing on big corporations' tax deductions related to health reform

Health reform affects high-risk patients, abortion and doctor practices

Obama enforces visitation rights of same sex partners

Vote expected today on COBRA subsidy extension

Senate gridlock hurts seniors' health: Medicare physician payment down to the wire

Pennsylvania Medical Society comments on court ruling against state

First Edition: April 15, 2010

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